The gym makes me really tired

gamblore99 · #1 05-12-2005, 01:39 PM

People tell me they get energized by the gym, but whenever I go I am dead tired after. Any idea's why this could be? I try to eat pretty healthy, with lots of carbs and protein after the workout. Does anyone else have this problem?

CanKid · #2 05-12-2005, 01:40 PM

Getting enough zzzs?

SippinSoma · #3 05-12-2005, 01:47 PM

Not enough sleep, or your routine is overexhaustive.

Stuey · #4 05-12-2005, 03:10 PM

How long have you been working out for? I mean how many weeks in a row have you lifted weights 3 times a week?

If you are not consistent you will be tired more often. When I stop for a few months to focus on cardio when I return the first month or so makes me tired till my body gets used to the abuse. Be consistent your body will adjust after a month or so.

How long are your workouts? Never go over 1 hr and really unless your super tough like sup bro 30 to 45 min is lots if you are intense. You can do a nasty lifting workout in 15 min if you focus.

Drinking enough water?

gamblore99 · #5 05-13-2005, 02:31 PM

[ QUOTE ]
How long have you been working out for? I mean how many weeks in a row have you lifted weights 3 times a week?

If you are not consistent you will be tired more often. When I stop for a few months to focus on cardio when I return the first month or so makes me tired till my body gets used to the abuse. Be consistent your body will adjust after a month or so.

How long are your workouts? Never go over 1 hr and really unless your super tough like sup bro 30 to 45 min is lots if you are intense. You can do a nasty lifting workout in 15 min if you focus.

Drinking enough water?

[/ QUOTE ]

I've been working out consistently for about 4 months, with a month and a half off for exams. Usually I am there for an hour and half. It is pretty intense. Usually about 15 minutes of the time is socializing.

chaas4747 · #6 05-13-2005, 02:34 PM

Are you hydrating enough? I went to nutritionist last year and she told me about 85% of people walk around de-hydrated every day. This can lead to a worn out feeling.

augie00 · #7 05-13-2005, 02:56 PM

1.5 hours? Holy crap! You should be lifting about 30-40 mins of that time. Sounds like you're just overworking yourself.

Blarg · #8 05-13-2005, 03:20 PM

Carbs tire lots of people out. You could be one of those. I am. Spaghetti, for instance, usually makes me very sleepy. Carbs are great for marathon runners, too, but weight lifting in a gym is pretty far from running a marathon.

After a work-out, your blood sugar could be low. Try eating a piece of fruit or two after your work-out. It will help rehydrate you, and get some relatively non-volatile fructose into your system. Fructose tends to stimulate the release of insulin much less than sucrose, regular sugar does. So you won't get the crashing/swingy feeling of your energy going up and down when eating it. To keep your sugar cycle in line, stay away from candy, including a lot of those crappy energy bars, after a work-out, as well as soda. Soda fills you with sugar and dehydrates you at the same time, a double whammy.

Get some water in your system, more than you think you need.

You might also try some Vitamin C powder or pills or chewables. They help regulate your sugar cycle and actually provide quite a boost in energy all by themselves.

Finally, maybe it sounds funny, but a little nap never hurt anyone. A hard work-out is definitely draining, and combined with anything less than a perfect sleep routine and low-stress lifestyle, is likely to make you feel tired. You can feel good and tired at the same time, there's no contradiction there.

Stuey · #9 05-13-2005, 03:37 PM

I'm no expert but it is easy to check if you are overtraining.

Try this simple test on your next workout. On each exercise multiply the number of reps you do by the poundage. For example: bench press 175 lbs 12 times and you get 2,100. Next time you do the bench press see if that number has increased. If it hasn't, you have not fully recovered and need more days off between every workout. I work with advanced trainees who do one workout every six weeks. That's not a misprint. That means it takes them twelve weeks to get back to training each bodypart. And they make progress on every exercise on every workout and they lift enormously heavy weights. You can too.

From here

Lawrence Ng · #10 05-13-2005, 03:37 PM

[ QUOTE ]

People tell me they get energized by the gym, but whenever I go I am dead tired after. Any idea's why this could be? I try to eat pretty healthy, with lots of carbs and protein after the workout. Does anyone else have this problem?

[/ QUOTE ]

To get energized, you have to mentally motivated and pumped. I know it's not possible to be pumped all the time, but if it's not in your head to really pump yourself up then you won't feel energized and will feel tired.

I'd check www.bodybuilding.com forums as there is a lot of useful information on all different types of workouts, plans, excercises, supplements, and yes - even steroids use. [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

I don't know what your own personal goals are, but if they are to build muscle and size, then you need to definitely get lots of rest and sleep, eat a good balance of everything and lots of it.

During the months when I am sizing up, I take a small bottle of gatorade, fill it with some creatine, drink half of it before working out and the rest after my workout. The body constantly needs fluids before, during, and after workout.

If you are doing all this (eating right, resting well) then I think it's probably a mental block right now. Workouts are 60% mental, 40% physical. Some days when there's too much on your mind you just can't focus and get pumped and that can tire you out.

Lawrence